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Q & A: 79 MGB Overdrive

Mr. Twist...........Sir, we have corresponded before regarding my 1979
MGB overdrive.
Your reply to me was dated May 8th 1998. Many thanks for your advise.
Since that date I have spent many hours under the car, tinkering with the
solonoid, wiring, switch, pump, etc.until I finally gave up and have been
running without overdrive ever since. I was stumped!
Then I heard about "British Auto Shop" just outside Portland, Oregon,
which is about 60 miles from my home. I left the car with the English
mechanic there and the following week he called and told me that all the
things that I had done were fine, but that the problom was deeper and he
would have to pull the engine to fix it.
I told him to do whatever was needed and two weeks later I picked up the
car and everything was working fine. I now have a working overdrive. The
price was agreeable also.....no complaints there.
However, he told me that he had put Hypoid 80W90 in the transmission, and
10-40 in the engine. This is contrary to what I have read in your
articles which call for Engine oil (20-50) in both engine and
transmission.
Please let me know if I should change back to the oil that I have always
used in the engine and transmission.
I have always used Castrol 20-50 in both.
Sincerely, Stuart

Stuart!

We have used 20W/50 Castrol GTX for at least 25 years. Only twice
have we had to use a lighter weight oil in the OD gearbox to get the OD to
stop working. BL did issue a service memorandum calling for 80/90, ... read more